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Aluminum dash

i dont have my truck at the house yet. but was looking for info on how much real world space is in the driver side with the gauges in there ?

is it roomy or tight or better yet any pics ?
 
sweetk30 said:
i dont have my truck at the house yet. but was looking for info on how much real world space is in the driver side with the gauges in there ?

is it roomy or tight or better yet any pics ?
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Somewhere in the middle. You don't have to jam things in but at the same time, you'll want to wire things up tidy.

When I put the gauge panel in my blazer, it pretty much dropped into place no fighting required.
 
I would run all the wires together into one on the back of the gauge panel, if possible, then bullet connect to the wires from your truck. I did many individual wires, and if I ever open it up again, I'll run all the ground, power, and light wires into one wire on the panel. "Daisy chain" I think it's called LOL.

I have enough room to put the AC duct on the column support. There is room under the gauges to run the AC duct up and over the column support. I couldn't see running the duct any other way and luckily there is room enough behind the gauges. The duct going to the two passenger side vents however was a MAJOR PITA. Run the duct long from the AC box, make the connection somewhere behind the AC controls, and then run it to the two passenger side vents, otherwise you'll be fighting the glove box for room. Just seemed real difficult to me.
 
k85 octane can you get a pic of the back side of the lower panel were you got the switches ?

and if possible measurement from dash face on backside to closest object stright back from the face of the dash .

i got a federal signal switch box i was going to mount up in there and by your pics sofar it looks tight .

in this pic you can see were i am wanting to mount it

100_3038.JPG
 
azblazer said:
I have got to have one of these dash's. Is there an issue why the 73-80's aren't ava?
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I think they will bolt right in with absolutely no issue.

Haven't had a chance to try it so, uncomfortable with advertising it that way so far.

I believe all the changes between 80/81 were pretty much restricted to the outside of the firewall. The sheetmetal behind the dash pad is a different shape but that is removed to make way for this dash. If there is something different its most likely the shape of some vents or something along those lines rather than cab differences.

We have a customer that purchased one for a pre 81 but haven't heard back yet.
 
Confirmation came today. The dash fits the 73-80 stuff just the same.
 
just a word of warning, something folks should look out for when installing one of these dashes.

I cut out the old dash and seemed good to go. Put the DIY dash in and the very center was hitting the left over old dash. Grabbed a hammer and beat the old metal down (right at the antenna). It then cleared. However, I just tried to test fit my stereo and the left over old dash is in the way. The left defroster, right "screw" tab is in the way of the stereo sliding all the way back. I'll need to get a long bar and beat the crap out of it, folding it down so the stereo can go in. Next to the tab, is also some more old dash that will need to be folded down. I recommend putting the dash in and before mounting everything to it, test this area, as there is no way you'll want to take it all back apart to "properly" clearance the left over dash. I might try bashing it upwards and hope the angle of the stereo going in misses these pieces.

I'll try to post a pic tomorrow. The stereo is a standard single din Kenwood CD
 
beat the crap out of it and had to break off the defrost tab but it's all good now, I don't mind

Picture037.jpg
 
Hey 85, what size gauges did you use? I'm considering putting one of these in mine and I have a couple 2 5/8 gauges and was wondering if I could reuse them or have to buy all new.
 
kirt can layout and pre check on the front panel for ya on the program.

i sent him a template for my stuff and he said no problem and even sent me a pic of it to pre aprove before cutting.

and my stuff is 3 3/8 and 2 1/16 but i think if i needed i could run the 2 5/8 but just not as many in the front panel.

so ya there is room for your 2 5/8 stuff.

best i can say is lay it out on cardboard or construction paper and set it all up for the way you think you want it. i did 6-8 diffrent layouts on mine before i had him cut it. check my dash build thread in my sig line below.
 
2 5/8" gauges will fit. They won't stack directly on top of each other but staggered, they will fit.

The one pictured on our website, that's 4 - 2 5/8" on the left side and 2 - 5"ers in the middle. The mounting hole for the 5's is actually 4 5/8".
 
Just wanted to let you guys know, we are able to supply you with any of the Autometer gauges for your dash. Pricing is looking pretty promising. Saves on some shipping as well.
 
cybrfire said:
Just wanted to let you guys know, we are able to supply you with any of the Autometer gauges for your dash. Pricing is looking pretty promising. Saves on some shipping as well.
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not to mention the switches and switch panels you can make up :waytogo:
that's where mine came from :D
 
Just quoted another customer a full set of gauges, We can beat "SUM" of the big catalog companies all day long.
 
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